


I love you (for every single thing you are)

by artsyleo



Series: Tumblr prompt writing [5]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon Continuation, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Cute, Fluff and Angst, Gay Male Character, I Love You, Inspired By Tumblr, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Light Angst, M/M, Missing Scene, Protectiveness, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21686557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsyleo/pseuds/artsyleo
Summary: "Cocoa for your troubles?""I was thinking a couple of shots would be more like it.""Well, you see, I already made the cocoa, so..."Oh my god if this isn't just perfect for tonight's ballum.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: Tumblr prompt writing [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559737
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55





	I love you (for every single thing you are)

"Cocoa for ya troubles?"

Ben was sat, doing what one could only describe as brooding, a thoughtful hand on his chin, in the corner of the sofa. Jay and Lola had cleared out an hour ago, something about not wanting to see any more of Ben and Callum's 'roleplay'. 

Ben sighed. "I was thinkin' a couple shots'd be more like it." 

"Well, ya see, I already made the cocoa, so..."

Ben turned to see Callum, dressed in one of Ben's jumpers that he'd stolen, looking sheepish with two mugs of hot chocolate in his hands. When Ben didn't reply, his smile dropped. He gently placed the two mugs on the table in front on them and flopped down on the sofa next to Ben.

"You're brooding, Ben," Callum sighed, running his hand up the other man's arm.  
"Hmm," was Ben's only reply, still not looking at Callum.  
Callum was used to this. Ben had grown up not sharing his feelings with anyone - not in a safe enough place to be able to. When he had - well, Callum had dealt with many a nightmare about Paul. He was used to Ben not knowing how to talk about his emotions. He'd gotten better, granted, over the last couple of weeks (something about going legit had softened him and Callum wasn't complaining) but there were still days when he was trapped inside his own head, too scared to voice his own fears.

And so the two just sat in silence for a while, Callum stroking gently over Ben's arm, hoping that his presence helped somewhat.

After a while, Ben's own gruff voice broke the silence.  
"I'm sorry."  
Callum looked up, confused. "For what, babe?"  
Ben just shrugged again.   
"You ain't got nothin' to be sorry for, Ben, alright? Not to me."   
"It's... It's just me dad again."

There it was.

Callum sighed, anger for the wreck that Phil Mitchell had left his own son in boiling inside him. 

"What's he said this time?"   
Ben hesitated for a minute.   
"It's about me... goin' legit. He might find out about it, an' you, and I don't know what he's gonna do."   
"Ben..."   
"And I'm just- I wish I didn't care what he thought of me."   
"You shouldn't have to Ben. You should be enough for him." Callum pleaded.   
"Yeah, but I'm not though, am I? 'Cause if I was he wouldn' t be askin' me to dump you for his dodgy deals." 

Callum sat up. "He did what?"   
"Well, the warning weren't in as many words, but-"   
"Ben, please. You don't have to live up to what he thinks you are. You're bigger than him, I know you are."   
Ben sighed and looked over at Callum, who was shocked to see the sadness in his eyes. 

"I'm a Mitchell, Callum. I can't shake fate. I'm destined to be a failure of a man, a failure of a father and a failure of a boyfriend, just like he always said I'd be-"   
Ben was stopped by Callum pressing a fierce kiss to Ben's lips, which effectively shut him up. When they pulled apart, Ben was speechless.

"Ben, listen to me. No matter what your dad said, you ain't ever gonna be any of those things, alright? Just like you said to me, he's just some bloke who got your mum pregnant."  
Ben smirked slightly at his own advice.   
"And you've got so many people around you who'll back me up on that, too. Your mum's been so proud o' you recently, told me so herself. Lexi proper loves you, and..." Callum took a small breath. Now or never. 

"... And so do I. I love you, Ben." 

Ben sat there, clueless for a second. Callum... loved him? 

"And I know it might be a bit soon, after the weddin' and all that crap, and I know you might not feel the same, an-" 

It was Ben's turn to do the silencing now. When they pulled apart, Ben had tears in his eyes, but a smile on his face. 

"I love you too, you great softie," They both giggled. "Thank you."   
"Always Ben. Now," Callum reached away from Ben to pick up the two neglected mugs from the table. "Drink up, Mister, it's good for you." 

He handed Ben Lexi's favourite princess mug, filled with now-lukewarm chocolate and tiny pink marshmallows, to which Ben raised an eyebrow. Callum grinned. 

"What? S'the only way to drink hot chocolate."  
"It ain't exactly hot, Cal."   
"Oh shut it, you, before I chuck it down ya."   
"Is that a challenge, Highway?"   
"You bet it is, Mitchell."

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation from episode on 05/12/2019
> 
> THEYRE SO FUCKIN CUTE AND I HAD SO MUCH FUN WRITING THIS I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT BECAUSE I DID
> 
> very excited LeO


End file.
